Distributor cap



W. SHERMAN April 2, 1935.

DISTRIBUTOR CAP Filed Sept. 7, 1953 //v vzwrw? ls zq a m Sherman TTOR/VEY Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATES -1,996,440 DISTRIBUTOR oar William Sherman, Vineland, N. J., assignor of one-half to Joseph Levert, Wrightville, Quebec, Canada, and one-half to Coast Auto Parts 00.,

Absecon, N. J.

Application September 7, 1933, Serial No. 688,483

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a distributor cap for the ignition timing mechanism of an internal combustion engine.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap 5 of glass or other good transparent dielectric through which the sparking of the distributor contacts may beexamined during operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a distributor cap in which all the contact points are individually removable and replaceable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a distributor cap formed solely of glass or the like and adapted to receive removable unitary contact points and cable receiving sockets that may be locked in the glass cap by the insertion therein of the usual cable ends.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a distributor cap of glass or the like of the nature and for the purposes set forth that is characterized by structural simplicity, durability and low cost of production, being thereby rendered commercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawing forming a part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved distributor cap;

Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof, as taken on the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a perspective elevation of one of the replaceable combined cable-receiving socket and contact points; and

Figure 4 is a detail vertical section of a modified form of central contact.

Much motor trouble is occasioned by faulty operation of the timing and distributing mechanism of the electrical sparking equipment in the modern internal combustion engine. This is partly due to the diificulty of locating and identifying trouble of this nature; a short often occurring in what seems to be a perfect distributor cap. And furthermore though condenser trouble manifests itself by a red spark between the commutator arm and the fixed contacts it is undiscernible because of the opaque caps in use and can only be checked up by use of special and expensive condenser testing apparatus. In addition to this some distributor caps must be discarded because one or two of the contact points have become worn or burnt although the body of the cap'and the rest of the contacts are still in condition to give years of service.

In this invention, the distributor cap 5 of generally conventional design, and adapted for use on standard timers and distributors, is of transparent glass or the like and so is a perfect dielectric with no possibility of shorts across or through the cap itself.

The cap is provided with a central and surrounding concentric row of circumferentially spaced pockets 6 moulded in the thick top of the glass. The top or neck of each of these pockets 6 is round as is also the interior chamber 8 that opens out inside, joining the neck 1 with a square shoulder 9. The bottom of the pocket 6 is formed as an annular seat l0, coaxial with and of the same diameter as the neck I, from centrally of which a small circular bore H extends through to the hollow underside l2 of the cap.

A usual cup-fitting flanged lower rim I 3 and a pair of diametrically opposite spring clip receiving notches M on the side walls complete the glass cap proper. For insertion in the circumferential row of pockets 6, removable cable-receiving sockets l5 are provided that are each formed as a cylinder of a diameter to slide snugly in the neck I and annular seat ID; the bottom l5 of the cylinder I5 is closed and provided with a coaxial depending stud I! that projects through the bore H and substantially enters the hollow underside l2 of the cap. These cylinders l5 are slotted vertically down from their open tops for the greater part of their length dividing the same circumferentially into a plurality of vertical spring fingers l8. Near the top of the cylinder these fingers I8 are bent angularly outwardly and then inwardly, beyond the normal circumference, providing thereby an exterior annular bulge or ring l9 and a constricted or smaller neck 20. The top rim 2| of this constricted neck 20 is then terminally rolled outwards.

The size, shape and proportion of these removable contact-point-cable-receiving inserts I5 is such that the stud l1 extends through the thick glass top of the cap 5 and enters the hollow underside thereof the required distance and the closed bottom l6 and lower end of the cylind l5 seats snugly in the annular recess 0 W the rest of the cylindrical insert is contained within the chamber 8, the spring fingers l8 flexing inwards'to allow the bulge ring l9 through the neck'fl of the pocket and then expanding to clampingly hold the cylinder in the chamber 9 by pressing outwards with the inturned upper angular side of the bulge against the shoulder 9 at the bottom of the pockets neck. a

The cable ends are then pushed into the cylinders l5 and fitting snugly therein are gripped tightly by the constricted top rim 2| thereof and substantially occupying the whole of the cylinder anchors the latter tightly and securely in its pocket in the cap. j r I The central cylinder and contact shown, is of identical form with those the surrounding ring except the stud 22 is of larger diameter (its accommodating bore being sized; accordingly) and is'centrally recessed to receive a carbon 23.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be manifest that a distributor cap is provided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently wide ly diiferent embodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained inthe said accompanying specification and drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:--

1, A distributor cap of glass or the like having pockets in the top thereof, openings through said cap from the bottom of said pockets and replaceable contact points in said pockets adapted to be locked therein by the insertion of cable ends.

2. A distributor cap of glass or other transparent dielectric having a central and surrounding row of pockets therein, narrowed necks at the top of said pockets, coaxial seats of like diameter in the bottom of said pockets, bores through said cap from the bottom of said pockets and removable contact points adapted to seat snugly, and securely in said pockets.

3. A distributor cap of glass or other transparent dielectric having a central and surrounding row of pockets therein, narrowed necks at the top of said pockets, coaxial seats of like diameter in the bottom of said pockets, bores through said cap from the bottom of said pockets, cylindrical inserts in said pockets adapted to clamp against I the narrowed necks thereof and contact'points depending from thebcttom of said cylinders adapted to extend through the bores in the bottom'of said pockets. r

1 WILLIAM SHERMAN. [1.. SJ 

